According to All Headline News, the strain of bacteria that caused the Black Death in the 14th century is believed to be extinct, according to new research from the University of Michigan.

Scientists published findings in the journal “Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences” that the bacteria Yersinia pestis caused the plague; it was found in the teeth of some of the 14th century plague victims.

It is also believed to be the second of three strains; the first strain, the Plague of Justinian, was documented in 541 A.D., and the third, which is responsible for around 2,000 deaths a year, was documented in the 20th century. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a different form of Yersinia pestis is thought to be responsible for this century’s plague. The World Health Organization states that the plague of today is a “re-emerging infectious disease,” and new findings on the bacteria will help in fighting this strain.

The 14th century Black Death is thought to have started in China and carried by rat fleas on black rats. The rats came aboard merchant ships sailing to the Mediterranean and Europe. The plague killed about one-third of the population of Europe. You can read more about the article here at All Headline News.